Church Fathers Commentary Mark 13:3-8

"And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when these things are all about to be accomplished? And Jesus began to say unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. Many shall come in my name, saying, I am [he]; and shall lead many astray. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled: [these things] must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in divers places; there shall be famines: these things are the beginning of travail." — Mark 13:3-8 (ASV)

The Venerable Bede: Because the Lord, when some were praising the buildings of the temple, had clearly answered that all these were to be destroyed, the disciples privately inquired about the time and the signs of the predicted destruction.

For this reason it is said: And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be fulfilled?”

The Lord sits on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, when He speaks about its ruin and destruction, so that His physical position corresponds to His words. This mystically points out that, while dwelling in peace with the saints, He hates the arrogance of the proud. For the Mount of Olives signifies the fruitful majesty of the Holy Church.

St. Augustine of Hippo: In answer to the disciples, the Lord tells them of things that were to unfold from that time onward. He may have meant the destruction of Jerusalem, which prompted their question; His own coming through the Church (in which He is always coming, even to the very end, as we know He comes in His own people when His members are born day by day); or the end itself, when He will appear to judge the living and the dead. ¹

Theophylact of Ohrid: But before answering their question, He strengthens their minds so that they will not be deceived.

Therefore, what follows is: And Jesus, answering them, began to say, “Take heed that no one deceives you.”

He says this because when the sufferings of the Jews began, some people arose claiming to be teachers.

Therefore, it continues: For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

The Venerable Bede: For many came forward when destruction was hanging over Jerusalem, claiming they were Christs and that the time of freedom was near. Many heretical teachers also arose in the Church, even during the time of the Apostles. Many antichrists came in the name of Christ, the first of whom was Simon Magus. As we read in the Acts of the Apostles, the Samaritans listened to him, saying, “This man is the great power of God” (Acts 8:10).

For this reason, it is also added, And will deceive many.

Now, from the time of our Lord's Passion, external wars and civil discord never ceased among the Jewish people, who had chosen the seditious robber and rejected Christ the Savior. Therefore, it continues: And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled. When these things happen, the Apostles are warned not to be afraid or to leave Jerusalem and Judea, because the end was not to come immediately; indeed, it was to be delayed for forty years.

This is what is added: for such things must happen, but the end is not yet—that is, the desolation of the province and the final destruction of the city and temple. It continues: For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Theophylact of Ohrid: This refers to the Romans fighting against the Jews, which, as Josephus relates, happened before the destruction of Jerusalem. For when the Jews refused to pay tribute, the Romans rose up in anger. But because they were merciful at that time, they did indeed take their spoils but did not destroy Jerusalem.

What follows shows that God fought against the Jews, for it is said, And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines.

The Venerable Bede: It is on record that this literally took place at the time of the Jewish rebellion. But the phrase kingdom against kingdom—along with the plague of those whose teaching spreads like gangrene, a famine of the word of God, the upheaval of the whole earth, and the separation from the true faith—can also be understood as referring to heretics who, by fighting one another, bring about the triumph of the Church.

1. Epist., cxcix, 9